Note-sheet-control mechanism



M. W. OBERMILLER.

NOTE SHEET CONTROL MEOHANISM.

, u APPUCATION FILED JAN. 27,1920- 1,862,262, Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MAXIMILIAN W. OBERIYIILLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

NoTn-sHEE'r-con'rnot MEcHANisM.

Application led January 27, 1920.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAXiMiLiAN IV. OBERMILLER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at New York` city, State of New York, United States of `America, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Note-Sheet-Control Mechanism; and I do hereby declare the following to be a. full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of rei' rence marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention. relates to note-sheet control mechanism, to maintain the note sheets of pneumatically operated musical instruments in proper tracking relation to the tracker bar, whether the tracker bar is mcved for transposition of the music o r not, or for registering the webs of web printing presse.

It is immaterial to what kind of pneumatic musical instrument my invention is applied, whether for pneumatieally played violins, pianos or other instruments operated by pressure air or by suction.

In order that my invention may be fully understood I have illustrated it diagrammatically as applied to a pneumatically played piano.

Referring to the drawings, iii which like parts are similarly designated- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of so much of a player piano as is necessary for an understanding of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a view, partly in section, looking from the right of Fig. 1, of the pumping devices.

Fig. 3 is a detailed view, on a larger scale, with parts in section, of the mechanism at one end of the tracker bar.

Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the feeler valve, showing the valve stem guide. a

Fig. 5 shows my invention operated by suction instead of pressure.

In my experiments with note sheet control mechanisms I have found that a quicker and more sensitive operation can be obtained in connection with valve actuated control mechanism by using air under pressure, rather than by vacuum, as is now commonly done. The pressure, ordinarily, need not be over half a pound in excess of atmospheric pressure.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1920.

Serial No. 354,378.

An objection to piesent control apparatus is the diiiiculty in supplying slight lateral movement to the music sheet when deviating from normal tracking, and that the control is not sensitive enough, for the reason that the sheet, either directly or indirectly, causes the uncovering of a port, and that the area of the tracker port uncovered is the measure of the admission of air, so that a full or nearly full opening of the port is necessary before the music sheet is shifted back to normal position.

I overcome this by having means for opening a large area for the passage of air for the control apparatus for a very slight lateral deviation of the music sheet, adjustable to a lateral movement of the music sheet of about lifteen one-tliousandths of an inch, so that the music sheet will for the slightest lateral movement be shifted back to normal position.

Another objection to many pneumatically played pianos is that when the edges of the sheet become worn, or torn, the sheet is continually moved back and forth along the tracker due to the uneven edges. This also I avoid by my construction.

Other advantages of my construction will hereinafter be stated in connection with the detailed description.

Referring to Fig. 1, the pedals 1, 1, are connected by a bent rod 2 to the main vacuum bellows 3, 8, connected to an evacuating reservoir 4 that is connected with a tension equalizing chamber 5, as is customary.

According to my invention I mount on the reservoir 4e or at any other convenient place a pressure pumping bellows 6 connected to one of the rods 2 in any suitable manner, whereby pressure air is pumped through tube 7 to a pressure chamber or reservoir S mounted on the side 9 of the piano case. rlhis reservoir is provided with a non-return valve 10 and a compression spring 11 and supplies air under pressure through tube 12 to a valve chest 13.

rIhe valve chest has a pressure chamber 14, and two like sets of valves, each set controlling a bellows. One valve set, comprising valves 15 and 16, controls the admission and release of pressure air to chamber 17, 'the valve 15 controlling port 15a between the chambers 14 and 17, and the valve 16 controlling the release of pressure air from chamber 17 through port 16a, to the exhaust chamber 18 common to both sets of valves and connected by port 19 to the atmosphere.

The two valves l and 1G are preferably loosely mounted on the same stem 20 guided in guides 2l and 22, the stem at its lower end being secured in a wooden pad or rest 23 supported on a thin diaphragm 24.- covering a chamber 25 that is connected by tube 26 to the right hand iieeler valve 27.

rlhe chamber 17 is connected by a port 2S to a bellows 29.

The other set of valves is similar to those just described, and comprises a valve c. controlling a port between chamber laand a Chamber A valve Z controls a port e between chan'ihers c and 18. rllhe two valves are identical in construction with those l5 and 16; are mounted on a single stem suitably guided, and carry a par ,t resting' on a diaphragm g of: pressure chamber 7L that is connectedby a tube 30 to the lett hand feeler valve 3l. The chamber c is connected a port e with a bellows 32.

rlhe chambers 25 and L are provided with so-called leakage openings 39, which are line pin holes at the end of a passage Ll0 leading' from the pressure chamber A: to the dia phragnA chambers, so that the diaphragms are always under pressure, unless one or the chambers, 25 or 7L, is Vented through a feelcr valve.

The two bellows 29 and 32 are connec together by a link 33, and the ellows 32 if; connected by a rod 34 to a lever system, il', 36, 37. The end of the lever 37 contacts with the end oll spindle S oit one oic the music rolls and operates this spindle longitudinally in conjunction with the usual springfurged bearing 3S at the other end the roll, whereby the roll is shilted slightly in one direction or the other to correct abnormal tracking' of a music sheet.

rlhe ieeler valves, Figs. 3 and Ll, consist of a tube 3l interiorlj threaded for a portion of its length at ll for the reception of a guide Ll2 havingports and a screwdriver groove ele. ln the end oi? the tube 3l is screwed the valve seat 45 having a large bore il@ communicating with a similler bore 4:7 tor the valve e8. The large bore el@ communicates with vents i9 leading to the atmosphere. The valve stem is tgjuided at one end in the guide 42, and near the other end in the valve seat, and carries a cone valve that is seated by a light springt 5l surrounding' the valve stem i8 and haying' bearing at one end against the guide and at the other end against the valve 50. The valve stem d8 carries at its end the teeler head 52 or mushroom shape, the cene tral portion o' the surface being' hat. This head and spindle are free to rotate, and should the edge of the paper music sheet ride on the curved portion of the head,

the valve will rotate without injuring the edge of the music sheet.

@rdinarily the edge of the music sheet will contact with the flat portion of the inishroom head to move the Valve 5() oil its seat and vent the air pressure in chamber 25 or le to the atmosphere.

lt will be noted that the construction is such that a yery slight movement oil the -valve oil its seat will give a comparatively large area lo; ventinp' through the valve seat. The movement or a :'iew thousandths of an inch will frire a port opening' of from i'iour to ten, or more, times the area of the pin-hole leakage ports 39. ln order to obtain a quick action, the area opened by the valve must always be considerably larger than the leakage ports and this area can be proportioned to suit any conditions by varying the size of the valve seat so as to give a larger or smaller peripheral space between the valve and seat for a given depression ol the eeler head.

rlhe tubes 3l are mounted independent oi'Y the tracker bar T, and to this end this bar is provided with slots 5l in its ends. This` bar has secured at one end a threaded bolt 55 on which is rigidly held one end of an arm 56 between two nuts rlhrough the other end of this arm passes a thumb-serew mounted to rotate in the trame F of the tracker bar and note sheet rolls.

The tracker bar 'is provided with a series oiI indices or marks 59, usually three on each side of a central mark. The distance be tween adjacent marks is equal to that between adjacent tracker bar openings, so that by adjusting the tracker bar to the right or to the lett the music may be played from one to three notes higher or lower than the normal key indicated by the central mark.

coordine` to my invention an index linger G() is placed on one of the straps 6l that hold the tracker bar T to the iframe F. rThis strap is stationary, and on the under surface of that portion of the strap that presses over the slot 54rin the tracker bar is secured a split screw sleeve G2 in which the eeler 'alve tube 31 is friction* ally held by a nut 63, so that the tube 3l may be readily adjusted to the width of the note sheet. rl`he tube 27 at the opposite end of the tracker bar T, Fig'. l, is similarly mounted on the strap 6l.

The operation is as follows: its soon as the edge of the note sheet touches the llat end surface 53 of the mushroom iteeler head or eeler 3l and noires this head a tew thousandths of an inch, the valve 50 is opened suliiciently to vent the pressure from chamber 7L, tubes 30 and 3l, through the valve seat and ports 49 to the atmosphere. Diaphragm g collapses opening valve ca and closing valve CZ, thus admitting pressure air from chamber ld to chamber c through port z' to the bellows 32, inflating this bellows, which operates the rod 34 and lever system 35, 36 and 37, to remove pressure from the music roll spindle S and permit spring 38 to move the music roll to the right. The bellows 32 being connected by rod 33 to bellows 29, this bellows is deflated by the pull of bellows 32, the air being vented through port 28, open valve 16, chamber 18 and port 19 to atmosphere.

As soon as the edge of the music sheet has left the feeler head, the valve 50 closes and chamber 7L ills with pressure air through leakage port 39 lifting the diaphragm, closing valve a and opening valve d to vent chamber c and the bellows 32 into chamber 18, and through port 19 to the atmosphere. Uien ieeler 27 is operated by the opposite edge of the sheet, chamber 25 is vented, closing valve 16 and opening valve 15 to admit pressure air from chamber 14 to chamber 17, thence through port 28 to bellows 29 to iniiate the latter, thus causing a pull on link 33 collapsing bellows 32, pulling rod 35 and the lever mechanism to cause lever 37 to exert pressure on music roll spindle S to urge the roll to the left against the action of spring 38.

Should a portion of the edge of the sheet be torn away there will be no contact at this point with the feeler head and the valve remains closed and will be operated only when the normal edge of the music sheet tracks past the feeler.

Should the music sheet ride up onto the eeler head 52, the head and valve stem are free to revolve so that the sheet vvill not be torn, as the head acts as a roller and the.

normal tension on the sheet soon causes the edge of the sheet to ride down the curved surface of the head toward normal position, and at the same time opens the valve to cause the movement of the music roll, as heretofore described.

It will be noted that the valve stem is guided at both ends. This arrangement insures opening even when the pressure is on the underside of the mushroom feeler head. and prevents tilting and binding. The stem is also comparatively long to insure movement under all conditions of operation.

In Fig. 5 I have shown the valve chest 13 arranged for suction instead of pressure, the only change made being that port 19 is connected directly to the vacuum chamber 4 by pipe 12, chamber 14 is vented to the atmosphere, and the leakage ports 39a leak into chamber' 18; all other parts are the same as heretofore described with reference to Fig. 1.

Operations o pneumatic mechanism by suction are so well understood it is believed that no detailed description will be necesllever mechanism, 35, 36 and 37 is then operated as before described.

I claim- 1. The combination with a tracker bar; of

a teeler valve comprising a rotatable feeler head, a valve positively connected to said head and pneumatic mechanism controlled by said valve to adjust the tracking of the music sheet.

2. The combination with a tracker bar; of a feeler valve positioned Jfor Contact by the edge of a note sheet, comprising a springurged rotatable spindle, a eeler head on said spindle and a valve on the spindle controlling the passage of air, and pneumatic mechanism controlled by said valve to adjust the tracking ot the music sheet.

3. The combination with a tracker bar; of a eeler valve positioned for contact by the edge 01"" a note sheet, comprising a tube, a spring-urged valve in said tube, a valve seat on the end oi said tube having a large number of lateral air ports therein, a valve spindle passing through said seat and a sheet contacting head on said spindle.

4. The combination wit-h a tracker bar; of a teeler valve positioned for contact by the edge oi` a note sheet, comprising a rotatable head, a tube, a valve in said tube, a spindle for the valve and head, a spindle guide in the tube, and a spring on the spindle between said guide and tube.

5. The combination with a tracker bar; of a ieeler valve positioned for lateral contact by the edge oil a note sheet comprising an air tube, a valve seaU member in threaded connection with one end of said tube having a central valve stem passage ported to the atmosphere. a valve stem loosely passing through said passage, a mushroom head on one end of said stem, a guide within said tube for guiding the other end of said stem, a valve on the stein for closing said passage and a spring tor urging the valve onto its seat. Y

6. The combination with a tracker bar; of a strap for holding the end of said bar, and a eeler valve i'or note sheet adjusting mechanism secured to said strap.

7. The combination with a tracker bar; of a strap for holding the end of said bar and a 'eeler valve Jor note sheet adjusting mechanism adjust-ably secured to said strap.

8. The combination with a tracker bar having longitudinal recesses in its ends and means for shifting said bar for transposition or' the music; of straps for holding said bar, and eeler valves secured to said straps and lying within said recesses.

9. The combination with a tracker bar haring longitudinal recesses in its ends, and means for shifting said bar for transposition of the music; of straps 'for holding said bar, and 'fe-eier valves adjustably secured to said straps and lying within said recesses.

l0. rEhe combination with a tracker bar having longitudinal recesses in its ends and means for shifting said bar for transposition oi the nuis'i'c; of straps for holding the ends oi? said vbar traversing said recesses, split screw sleeves on the under sides of the straps and lying` in said recesses, eeler valves in said sleeves and nuts on said sleeves for clamping said feeler valves in the sleeves.

Il. In a pneumatic player piano g a tracker aar holding strap having a transposition indicating pointer projecting therefrom adj acent an edge of the tracker bar, a threaded split sleeve secured to the under face or' said strap and a clamping nut on said sleeve.

l2. In a pneumatically operated musica-l instrument, main suction producing mechanism LFor the instrument, in combination with note sheet control mechanism operated by .pressure air, including pressure air pumping mechanism operated from the main suction producing mechanism.

I3. In a pneiunatically operated musical instrument, main suction producing mechanisin, comprising a main reservoir, a tension equalizer therefor, suction bellows for exliausti'ng the reservoir, and pedals for operating said bellows; in combination with a pressure pump mounted on said reservoir and |operated by said bellows, a pressure air reservoir supplied by said pump, and note sheet control mechanism connected to said pressure air reservoir. y

In combination, a tube, a valve seat member in one end of said tube and having 40 central bore and a valve seat on its lower end, a valve stem loosely passing through said bore, a valve on the stem, a stem guide in the other end of the tube and a spring surrounding the stem between the guide and valve.

In combination, a tube, a valve seat member screwed into one end of said tube and having a central bore terminating below in a conical valve seat and having at its upper end transverse vports to said bore, a valve stein guided in said bore, a conical valve on the stem, a stem guide in the lower end of the tube, and a long coil spring between said guide and valve and a head on the valve stem to actuate the same, said stem, valve and head being free to rotate.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name hereto.

MAXIMILIAN W. OBERMILLER. 

